Indian techie jailed in Pakistan returns home

Mumbai's Bhavesh Parmar, who had boarded the Samjhauta Express in a state of depression seven years ago, returned home Friday after he was released from a jail in Pakistan.

Bhavesh had boarded the Samjhauta Express at Amritsar without any visa or documents. It is still not clear how he managed to board the high-security train to Pakistan.

On reaching Pakistan, he was detained because he had neither a visa nor any documents to prove his identity or nationality.

Accompanied by his mother Hansaben, legislator Krishna Hegde and parliamentarian Priya Dutt - who received him at the Attari border checkpost in Amritsar - an emotional Bhavesh said at Mumbai aiport: "It feels good to be back. I am happy."

"Bhavesh was handed over to us after completion of necessary formalities at the border (Thursday)," Hegde said.

After being detained for many years in Kot Lakhpat Jail in Lahore, Bhavesh was given Emergency Travel Certificate by the Indian High Commission in Islamabad to enable his return to India.

Parmar, 32, a software engineer,went missing in 2005 after he lost his father to cancer. He was a resident of suburban Vile Parle in northwest Mumbai.

"Bhavesh's mother Hansaben had, in February, received a letter from her son. It was delivered by another Indian prisoner Ram Rajji, who returned from Pakistan to India after being released," Hegde told IANS.

"Hansaben had then reached out to me and sought help. I had written to External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna and followed it up with the Indian high commission in Pakistan," he added.

Hegde said he finally received a response from the high commission that Bhavesh would be released Oct 25.